Scenic Tours!

[newnanna]

Grannylorr,

My email is blondie_g13@hotmail.com( there is an underscore between the e_g

As we are both from Brisbane and being given different information for the cruises in November -Email me when you get home and we can compare what we are being told from Scenic.

Then maybe we can prevent others in this forum from the same dramas

[letsgo39]

If you are traveling in the summer Budapest to Amsterdam I suggest you get a cabin on the starboard side. On our Avalon cruise last summer in July the cabins that were on the port side got very hot in the late afternoon.The passengers on that side had to keep their drapes closed to make the room bearable. The air conditioning was working fine and it wasn't even all that hot out. We were glad our cabin was on the starboard side.The scenery is pretty much the same though and somedays you dock on one side and the next port you might dock on the other side. I would say though that most of the time going in that direction we docked on the starboard side.

[newnanna]

Thanks for the information regarding the tour personaliser. I have checked and we have cabin R314.

We are travelling in winter departing 17th Nov- so the heat may not be a problem, but you make a good point for people traveliing in summer.

[newnanna]

Letsgo39, can you advise if you did the tour to Salzburg and if so would you recommend it?

thanks

[newnanna]

Letsgo39, can you advise if you did the tour to Salzburg and if so would you recommend it?

thanks

[GrannyLorr]

well what a coincidence newnana....WE HAVE R314 as well!! Have you looked at a brochure of the deck layouts though? The one I have shows that 314 IS NOT A ROYAL SUITE!!! :eek: It shows the Royal Suites are 315, 316, 317 and 318!!!

Thanks to those who suggested the Tour Personaliser thingy....now I am in even more panic...;) it also says they are waiting on payment from us, and we paid in FULL well over a month ago!

newnana, are you using a TA or dealing direct with Scenic??? I will email when I calm down!

[letsgo39]

Letsgo39, can you advise if you did the tour to Salzburg and if so would you recommend it?

thanks

 

No we did not do the Salzburg optional. We have traveled to Europe 5 times in 5 years and really do not take many optionals any longer..After taking several coach tours in the past the last thing I wanted to do was be on a bus all day. That is why I chose a CRUISE!Our best friends took the Cesky Krumlov optional on the same day and loved it.We chose to stay on the ship and had a very relaxing day on the sun deck.I had read several reviews before the cruise and decided that I would not do the Danube Bend optional or Salzburg based on the reviews I had read..That's just us,there are many people who feel differently about it.

[LHT28]

well what a coincidence newnana....WE HAVE R314 as well!! Have you looked at a brochure of the deck layouts though? The one I have shows that 314 IS NOT A ROYAL SUITE!!! :eek: It shows the Royal Suites are 315, 316, 317 and 318!!!

 

In the online brochure it shows 314,316, 315, 317 as Royal Balcony suites

http://www.scenictours.com/NthAmerica/Europe0910.pdf

[GrannyLorr]

In the online brochure it shows 314,316, 315, 317 as Royal Balcony suites

http://www.scenictours.com/NthAmerica/Europe0910.pdf[/quote

 

 

well that is a bit of a relief....but seems strange to have one lot of information online and different information in print!! Just another one of Scenics ~mistakes~??? Wonder which one is correct?? :( I cant open that link as it is 10mb...and Im still on dial up! Will see if I can find it another way......in the "lovely colour brochure" I have been given on the Sapphire and the Emerald, it has 314 as a Junior Suite....

[LHT28]

 

well that is a bit of a relief....but seems strange to have one lot of information online and different information in print!! Just another one of Scenics ~mistakes~??? Wonder which one is correct?? :(

 

Can you email them and ask which is correct?

[sanny]

the brochure I have shows 314 as a Royal Balcony Suite on the Danube deck:D

[emel]

Grannylor, Read the bottom of the page of your brochure. Mine says "The Images of ms Scenic Sapphire/ms Scenic Emerald/ms Scenic Diamond are artist impression. Final appearances and specifications may vary. The cabin layouts, cabin sizes and deckplans are correct at the time of printing but may vary". Which is a reasonable disclaimer prior to them being built. Now that they are in the water, why don't you just telephone them and find out? Any questions I've had, have been answered to my satisfaction very quickly by phone.

[GrannyLorr]

Grannylor, Read the bottom of the page of your brochure. Mine says "The Images of ms Scenic Sapphire/ms Scenic Emerald/ms Scenic Diamond are artist impression. Final appearances and specifications may vary. The cabin layouts, cabin sizes and deckplans are correct at the time of printing but may vary". Which is a reasonable disclaimer prior to them being built. Now that they are in the water, why don't you just telephone them and find out? Any questions I've had, have been answered to my satisfaction very quickly by phone.

 

LOL not dealing with the Australian office eh emel? Ask newnana how helpful they have been!! :eek:

[dmb707]

by the way, we have also booked a Royal Suite....wonder how many of us actually get them? :confused: Havent been given a suite number at all......the way this reservation has gone so far, we will be below water!

Hi GrannyLorr

 

funny seeing you here and not on Seabourn board:) , do you think Scenic compare with SB? I am trying to arrange a River cruise for the first time and trying to find one that would sort of compare if that is possible?

 

deb

[GrannyLorr]

LOL...Hi Deb, well so far this has not quite been the "Seabourn Experience" :rolleyes: If you read my last Seabourn ~report~ I suppose it is comparable to my Amtrak experience......no its not, it has been worse!! Oh well, Granny will soon find out all about the actual cruise part and will report back in full detail! Dont book till I get back! :D

[LHT28]

I was hoping OZTOUR would come back with more information.

 

Anyone going soon on the cruise?

 

Looking at a European river cruise & this one looks very good.

[orchestrapal]

Just got a report on the ship and food and was would "it is the best riverboat out there with grea food." This person has been on 15 different river boats very recently. The suites and balconies sold us and we are booked for May 2010. Hope that helps!:)

[GrannyLorr]

I was hoping OZTOUR would come back with more information.

 

Anyone going soon on the cruise?

 

Looking at a European river cruise & this one looks very good.

 

I was hoping a couple of people would have written reports by now..:( Our cruise is November this year, so not too long to wait....I promise to write a full report...hopefully as we sail along...depending on the cost of internet!! :D

[LHT28]

Just got a report on the ship and food and was would "it is the best riverboat out there with grea food." This person has been on 15 different river boats very recently. The suites and balconies sold us and we are booked for May 2010. Hope that helps!:)

 

That sounds like good news

Hopefully we will do one in 2010 also (if not sooner);)

I like the idea of real balconies also

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

I was hoping a couple of people would have written reports by now..:( Our cruise is November this year, so not too long to wait....I promise to write a full report...hopefully as we sail along...depending on the cost of internet!! :D

 

Looking forward to your report Granny

[orchestrapal]

Lyn, I believe you are also on the Oceania board as a fan. The person who gave me the information is also a Oceania cruiser who loves the line as much as we do. She says that Scenic is the closest river cruise to Oceania.:)

[LHT28]

Lyn, I believe you are also on the Oceania board as a fan. The person who gave me the information is also a Oceania cruiser who loves the line as much as we do. She says that Scenic is the closest river cruise to Oceania.:)

 

Yes I believe it may be close

I got their brochure & very impressive

I just hope I can convince DH to go sooner than later!!:D

 

Lyn

[Oztour]

Oztour- Wow a real live person who we can pepper with questiosn!! I am sorry about the problems encountered. I was pleased to see you did like the ship, the crew and the food. Can you elaborate a bit more once you get settled in back home? Those of us booked have been not so patiently waiting for someone to share about being on this ship. I know many people will have lots of questions!! We hope that by next summer when we sail many of your concerns will have been addressed.

Okay, I will start!

What was the food like? Are the cabins and balconies comfortable? What did you like and dislike? IS this a 4/5 star experience? What did Scenic do to help with any difficulties they were coming across? Did they at least keep communicating with the passengers? How smooth a sailing does the ship offer?

Okay, enough from me:) I am so excited to hear from someone on this ship.

Faye

Hi Jack1 and Granny Lorr,

Well - life has settled down again and time to think! Contrary to orchestrapal"s comment - I am not a negative person, but I do expect to receive the quality of service I have ordered and paid good money for. Not being told until the very last minute of alterations to cruise and not being given the courtesy of choice or cancellation to a later date is not my idea of good public relations in business and, therefore, I would not book again with Scenic Tours.

Now for the actual cruise - when we eventually got on to our timetable!

Tour Director (Werner) was an asset to Scenic Tours - his manner and actions relieved a lot of tension and helped make the tour.

The food was excellent, plenty of choice and served to us by a great crew.

Cabins were adequate ( we were on Danube Deck A - Cabin 304) not much room to move between bed and dressing-table shelf. Because of outside balcony, of course the cabin space taken up. Being on the port-side of the ship was an advantage especially when "in port" as multiple berthing was common practice and always this seemed to invade the privacy of the starboard cabins. I believe also that towards the rear of the ship caused these passengers some discomfort from diesel fumes and engine noise. On a visit to Deck B the cabins were very much the same in size. Having Butler Service sounds great if all you want is breakfast in bed etc. but absolutely no help at all when the laundry was taking 4 days to recover! No more space!!!

[Oztour]

Hi jack1 and GrannyLorr,

Me again! - ran out of time and space. Unless things change quickly GL don't bother to take your laptop with you - internet, television etc. were non-existent (even on the next two cruises I am told by friends). Smooth sailing jack1 was the order of the day - you never knew you were moving.

Original idea and hopes of a relaxing European River Cruise, with cases unpacked and sitting on your own balcony watching the world go by just didn't have time to happen and this was disappointing. Visits to dream-time cities seemed hurried and always having to run to timetable.

You are in for a disappointment orchestrapal if you are sure you will get the cabin you booked - we didn't even get the ship we booked!

I will try to get some of our fellow passengers to post their comments to back me up, but in the meantime, I note that some of you are not sailing until 2010 - so, for your sake and your hard earned money, I hope you get what you are promised...but, don't hold your breath.

I had a brochure through the post this morning for tours all over Australia and we would like to stay home next year..but on looking on Page 1, there was a picture and screed from The Founder & Managing Director of Outback Discovery (same fellow running Scenic Tours) so I think it is back to the internet to do our own bookings!

I wrote to Mr. M. (Scenic Tours)on returning home with my comments and haven't even had the courtesy of a reply, so I am not a happy chappy!

[orchestrapal]

Oztour: It is shame you did not find "perfection" on Scenic. I believe anyone that books an inaugural trip on any ship is in for a rough sail.

I'll take bets that Oceania and Crystal's first few cruises were far from what they were several months later.:(